Spicy Chili Meatballs

Don’t you dare buy pre-made meatballs ever again. Don’t take that as a challenge.

This is not truth or dare. It’s not opposite day either. No but really it isn’t. Are you confused? Good.

Now let’s get to the real business.

For the longest time, I was intimidated by meatballs. You’re handling raw meat, first of all, and they teach you right in elementary school that raw meat contains big green germs singing self-deprecating songs.

Even scarier, though, was the thought of not knowing how your finished product tastes until it’s done and it’s over and it’s too late to make any changes. For someone who eats half of the guacamole in the process of tweaking ingredients, this is absolutely terrifying.

Look at all the guac I made!

But friends, be terrified no longer: I have ventured into the land of big green singing germs and I have brought this recipe back just for you.

Spicy Chili Meatballs

Notes: These meatballs have just a soft kick of spicy, and a healthy kick of chili. Also, these are meatballs without cheese, because I can never commit to buying an entire half-pound bag of cheese.

Good looking meatballs. But I have a request — Please change your heading “Entree” to “Main courses” or “Mains” or (if you’re feeling French) “Plat principal.” I know that Americans have accepted “entree” as meaning “main course,” but of course it doesn’t. It’s the entry point to the meal — in other words, the appetizer. (Even the geniuses at Food Network get this wrong.) So — please — break out of the mould, and use the right term. Merci beaucoup.